1. Field of the Invention
The invention presented here relates to a spacer and to a screw extension for snowboard bindings.
2. Description of Related Art
When riding snowboards, it is important that the contact between the snowboard and the snowboard boot is as direct as possible so that the rider is immediately in a position to react to the movements of the snowboard and can apply the steering forces as efficiently as possible. The bindings and boot systems known in the art manifest significant disadvantages in this respect. Consequently, force transmission and the damping characteristics between the snowboard and the snowboard boot, and/or the rider, are not optimal.
The bindings currently in use are, as a rule, fixed by means of screws to screw inserts disposed in the middle of the snowboard for this purpose. As a result, the forces are transmitted at a few, tightly restricted points between the snowboard and the binding. The steering forces in particular, however, typically act on the edge regions of the snowboard. For their part, they are in equilibrium with the corresponding reaction forces of the rider, which are in the main transmitted at the tip and at the heel of the boot. In the case of the binding and boot systems known today, these forces are, due to the above-referenced design, transmitted through the few, tightly restricted fixing points, which are located in the middle of the snowboard. This contravenes the fact that the regions in which the forces are generated, namely the tip and the heel of the snowboard boot, and the regions in which the forces are transmitted to the substratum, namely edge regions of the snowboard, are directly above one another.
In the case of the bindings known from prior art, the load paths are very long, because the forces are conducted through the middle of the snowboard, where the fixing points are situated. Because only few regions transmit the forces, these are in addition massively concentrated. Through this concentration in the middle of the snowboard, high forces are generated, which produce material fatigue. This, in turn, has a negative effect, particularly on the useful lifetime of the material. Excessively long load paths, because of the elasticity of the material and the poor damping between the snowboard and the snowboard boot, lead to undesirable vibrations. As a result, the rider perceives an insecure, spongy feeling. Apart from this, the required expenditure of force is unnecessarily high and the application of the force is delayed, because the long load paths always have to be deformed first, before the steering forces are transmitted to the edges of the snowboard. The binding plates customary today are very hard and permit practically no deformations. This, in turn, leads to the fact that the rigidity characteristic of a snowboard is lastingly and negatively affected with a directly mounted binding plate.
Various snowboard bindings are known in the art. In the document PCT/US98/06773, for example, a snowboard with adjustable stiffening elements is described. The stiffening elements serve to influence the rigidity and the torsional characteristics of the snowboard and are fixed to the snowboard by means of reversibly releasable connections. From CH 677 191, a snowboard binding is known. This consists of an element, which is connected with the snowboard through a central fixing device. PCT/EP96/02980 divulges a further binding for snowboards, in the case of which also the fixation and with this the transmission of the forces between snowboard and rider takes place in the middle of the snowboard. From FR 2 740 983, a binding for snowboards is known, the base plate of which is directly fixed to the snowboard. The transmission of the forces takes place in the middle of the snowboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,405 shows a further binding for snowboards with a bayonet type lock. Affixed to the snowboard boots at the front and back are supports, which serve as walking aids.
From DE 196 19 676, a plate for snowboard bindings is known. This consists of a middle part, which is located at the center of two ring-shaped lateral parts, which are arranged concentrically one above the other. The lateral parts can be connected together, one above the other, in different angular positions such that the angle between a binding and a snowboard is variable.
A further problem in the case of the snowboard binding and boot systems consists in those parts that protrude beyond the snowboard. When making curves and when the snowboard is placed on its edge to make curves, the protruding parts have a tendency to get caught in the substratum, which can lead to serious falls or unwanted braking.
It is an objective of the invention presented here to eliminate or minimize the problems in prior art by means of a spacer and a screw extension. The spacer is to be compatible with the snowboards and snowboard bindings known from prior art. The long, disadvantageous load paths and the poor damping are to be avoided. The expenditure of force necessary for riding is to be reduced and a direct-acting contact between the snowboard and the snowboard boot with short load paths is to be furthered.
The invention divulged here comprises a spacer, which is utilized in combination with the known snowboards and snowboard bindings, is compatible with the different connections and solves the problems associated with prior art. The spacer is designed such that it is not dependent on a single type of binding and that it can be utilized with several types of binding without any particular effort.
The spacer is in an active combination with the snowboard and/or with the snowboard binding and/or with the snowboard boot, so that the forces generated are optimally transmitted between their point of origin and their point of effect. As a result of the locating of the spacer in the region of the binding plate, the bearing area for the snowboard boots, particularly in the case of narrow snowboards or snowboards having surface indentations, is purposefully enlarged. On the other hand, the distance between the snowboard boot and the snowboard is increased in an advantageous manner. This has the effect of a better load introduction into the snowboard and/or into the snowboard boots and, especially in the case of making curves, makes a better build-up of pressure between the edges and the substratum possible. The reaction from the snowboard, and the interaction between the rider and the snowboard, is purposefully enhanced. Apart from this, the excessively long load paths between the snowboard boot and the snowboard with their negative effect are avoided. In addition, dangers posed by parts of the boot protruding beyond the edges of the snowboard is reduced. In order to assure an ergonomical, natural position of the foot, the angle between the bearing surface for the snowboard boots and the gliding surface of the snowboard can be adjusted, if so required. As a result of this, the different riding habits and riding styles are optimally taken into account and the danger of tensing up is reduced to a minimum.
Through the spacer divulged here, the expenditure of force necessary for riding the snowboard is purposefully reduced. This is, because as a result of the increased distance between the snowboard and the snowboard boots on the one hand and the increased contact surface on the other hand, the effective leverage for the transmission of the force increases, which leads to an increasing of the effective steering forces. This has a particularly positive effect on the riding characteristics. A further function of the invention divulged here consists in an improved damping between the snowboard boots and the snowboard. This has the consequence that the shocks and vibrations harmful for the rider are purposefully reduced and the snowboard, in case of a fast ride, has less of a tendency to flutter. Because of this, the rider is given the feeling of a safe ride, because a direct contact between the snowboard and the rider is guaranteed. The load introduction, this as a difference to prior art, is not anymore restricted to a few points, but rather more takes place over an area. This leads to the fact that the forces are more evenly distributed and a harmful concentration, which would lead to material fatigue, is avoided. In addition, the spacer preferably has an as neutral as possible characteristic in comparison with the rigidity of the snowboard and, therefore, in contrast to the today, in part customary, very hard binding plates, has a controlled effect on the rigidity.
The spacer divulged here advantageously is made of several parts and is adjustable, so that a compatibility with various snowboards and snowboard bindings available on the market is achieved. After the release of certain fixing means, the individual parts can be moved relative to one another within a defined range and, therefore, can be specifically adapted to the corresponding requirements and riding styles. This results in a, to the greatest extent, independence of the required snowboard and/or binding types. This adaptability to different types of snowboard and/or binding is effected in particular through moving the parts, as a result of which the width of the spacer is variably adaptable to the board width of different snowboards, such as, for example, freestyle and alpine boards. The spacer furthermore is compatible with the customary standard hole patterns of snowboard bindings, such as 4xc3x974 and 3xc3x973, as well as with the customary connection surfaces of soft, alpine, and step-in bindings. In particular, because of the fact that it is made of several parts and is adaptable, the spacer is also suitable for snowboards that do not have an even surface on their top side.